It’s been a crazy few days in Flyers nation, with the trades of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter the Flyers are headed in a new direction. That new direction continued when the Flyers selected Center Sean Couturier with the 8th overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft.

Couturier is a dominate two-way Center who was once mentioned as a possible number one overall pick. He fell to the Flyers at number 8, and Philadelphia couldn’t have been more thrilled. They add Couturier to their already impressive return for both Richards and Carter. Along with Brayden Schenn, considered the top prospect in the entire NHL, the Flyers have their future mapped out at the Center position. That future could be sooner than you think.

Both Schenn and Couturier will be given the opportunity to make the Flyers during training camp. Many believe Schenn will be ready, and Couturier making the team is a real possibility.

With his combination of skills, it isn’t a stretch to believe Couturier could be with the big club come October. Couturier has the skills of a sniper but plays with the mentality of a two-way grinder. He seems like a Jeff Carter clone, while adding the intangibles Carter rarely showcased. Taking all of this into account, it’s hard to believe Couturier’s game will have any trouble translating at the NHL level.

Even though the trades of Richards and Carter have come as a shock, it isn’t the beginning of a Flyers rebuild. They’ve simply gone in a different direction, and to GM Paul Holmgren’s credit he’s transformed this team in only a few days. The Flyers have added some serious young talent, making the future very bright for the orange and black.